


A New Stratagem

by Merfilly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 17:09:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3944863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of defeat, Gilad Pellaeon finds new instructions to guide his course for preserving the Empire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Stratagem

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Beatrice_Otter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatrice_Otter/gifts).



> To Beatrice_Otter: I wanted to write Mara Jade, but could not summon a bunny worthy of you. I hope this fic is satisfying in a way of opening possibilities.
> 
> To all readers: While this begins in the very ending of the Thrawn trilogy, it uses some of what is revealed/plotted out for the Duology as well.

Gilad Pellaeon crumpled the coded message once again in his hand, just to feel the edges of the paper giving way to the force he could bring to bear on it. It was but a poor effigy to combat the impotence he felt in the face of it. He was all that remained of the Imperial leadership, and yet the message, hidden in a gift to him from his late commanding officer, required absolute secrecy and his personal attention. He considered the message, considered what he would find there, and then outlined the best plan in his head. He would be the blunt, open commander as he ever was, taking them to Nirauan to recover Imperial assets from that remote world, survey the fortress as a potential staging point, and broadcast it on secure channels as the muster point for his diminished forces.

No one would suspect a dual purpose to his mission, or just why he chose to inspect the facility himself. He was well-known as a stickler for Imperial standards and discipline, even at the height of their losses.

It would take banking against the forces' perceptions of him to establish exactly what he needed to accomplish for himself.

* * *

Even provided with all of the codes and precautions, cracking the fortress had taken time. Pellaeon had refused to show any impatience at all, keeping everything within military doctrine. If anything, he welcomed the delays as time to choose a discreet engineer, one whom he could trust to rig the necessary power equipment to handle a transfer as what Pellaeon needed, as well as to mask the energy diversion from scrutiny, once the secret mission was successful. Likewise, he selected two troopers, both of them clones and loyal only to the Empire, to handle the actual brute force portion of the mission.

All three, provided they proved his trust, would be given careful promotions and watched, but kept always within Gilad's personal command.

* * *

There were two clone cylinders. Pellaeon was nonplussed that Thrawn had prepared assiduously against his death, yet he wondered at the instructions he found once he had broached the chamber with his chosen help.

_My faith in you remains strong, Gilad Pellaeon, and you continue to prove yourself a master of adaptation. This message is coded to your bio-signature. You must follow the original message, take one clone with you to a place of your choosing. The other, you will leave in this place, and reset the security to stringent measures._

_In due time, I have no doubt that the Rebels will seek out my secrets, trying to thwart my plans. This place is easily associated with me, by those who know whom to seek. Let them have this as their mystery to solve while you guard my other investment. And, if they prove to be less intelligent than I project, or you do muster enough force to end their grip on the galaxy, I will be quite amused to learn how two of me choose to handle the future._

_Do keep as much of my art as you can. It will be useful. But do not hesitate to use it to finance projects if it becomes necessary. All I had is now in your hands, as am I._

As soon as Gilad had read the entire message and pressed confirmed, the computer bank ran a deletion program. The senior-most Imperial officer turned to face his team. "Move the one in the mobile unit, leave the other. We will reset this chamber upon leaving."

The troopers said nothing, merely moving to do as commanded. The engineer studied the room, the available security, and then nodded. "I will make certain the security is as deadly as possible, sir, to protect the cylinder."

"I believe you will do quite well, Stigman," Pellaeon told the man who was about to be his aide in this entire endeavor.

* * *

Though Pellaeon did not think of himself as devious or particularly creative, he had stood as Thrawn's right hand for the duration of the Grand Admiral's leadership of the Imperial forces. There was no doubt that Gilad would never have the flair for out-thinking his opponents in the manner that Thrawn had. Yet he looked on the handiwork he and Stigman had wrought with deep satisfaction. Thrawn might even forgive him for gutting this art installation.

It was a masterful camouflage, installing the cylinder and its power generator in among the statuary of some alien species Gilad had never encountered. As the installation was in Gilad's personal chambers, there would be no furtive trips elsewhere to check on the progress. Stigman had worked out a good layer of defenses for the suite, and the two troopers were now officially on guard detail.

It was, after all, protocol, for senior officers to have such.

"And, now, we wait." The leader of the Empire's military raised a small toast in the direction of the hidden cylinder, a silent wish for this plan to succeed as most of Thrawn's endeavors had… until that last one. The instructions were specific, with several courses of spreading propaganda to lead up to the moment. There was even a section of suggestions on how to cope with the likely impostors that would arise.

Thrawn was of a mind to use such impostors to divert attention from himself, to let them fulfill the ten-year prophecy first. As difficult as it was for Gilad to plan on such deceptions as a front in this war, he conceded the point. Always, he had seen there was more behind Thrawn's rise to power, and he believed all these precautions were playing into that ultimate goal.

So let the impostors come. For now, Pellaeon would command, drawing all the forces back and solidifying the Imperial grasp on certain systems. It was, as Thrawn's instructions pointed out, a time to collectively regroup, let the Rebellion rot from within, and prepare for the future.

His eyes strayed to the art installation once more. He had given his trust to Thrawn years before; he had no reason to stop now.


End file.
